Bearskull Lake
Iron County, Wisconsin · WBIC 2265100
The DNR has advice about eating fish from this water. How much is safe depends on the fish and on who is eating it. Look it up on the DNR site
This lake has fishing rules that differ from the standard ones for its area. Check the official rules before you fish. Official regulations
Size
77 acres
Max depth
26 ft
DNR lake type
Complex, Cool, clear water color
Water clarity
1.5 ft
Low, measured Aug 2015
A cool-water lake type: the DNR groups it with lakes that stay cooler through summer. This describes the lake type in general, not this lake in particular.
Outline
Numbered dots are boat landings; tap one for directions. The list below has the same numbers. Drawn from the DNR's 24K hydrography (surveyed 1973), so the shape is approximate and a landing can sit a little off the shore. Open the DNR lake map.
Water clarity
1.5 ft Secchi depthLowOlder reading
Last measured Aug 12, 2015. 4 readings on record, 2001 to 2015.
Only a few readings are on record.
Nothing has been measured in the last 5 years, so this may not match the lake today.
Secchi depth is how far down a white disk stays visible. A bigger number means clearer water. Clear means a Secchi depth of 10 feet or more, moderate 5 to 10 feet, low under 5 feet.
Wisconsin DNR water monitoring (volunteer and staff), via the Water Quality Portal; station BEARSKULL LAKE - DEEP HOLE. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Water temperature
A typical year Modeled estimate
- Ice goes outabout Apr 24 (Apr 14 to Apr 29)
- Surface reaches 48°Fabout Apr 30 (Apr 24 to May 8)
- Surface reaches 64°Fabout May 25 (May 16 to May 27)
- June surface69°F, usually 68 to 71°F
- July surface75°F, usually 74 to 76°F
- August surface72°F, usually 70 to 73°F
Forms a warm top layer around May 9, lasting about 125 days.
A computer model of this lake's typical weather and water, built from 15 years, 2005 to 2019. Ranges show the middle half of years. The model was not calibrated against measured temperatures for this lake. It is an estimate, not a measurement.
Modeled: U.S. Geological Survey lake temperature data release (doi:10.5066/P9CA6XP8).
Today at the lake
Forecast: National Weather Service (no endorsement implied). Sunrise, sunset and moon phase are calculated. The moon phase can be a day off.
Stocking history
- Walleyelast stocked 2025 (large fingerling and small fingerling); stocked in 8 years since 2010
Stocking shows what was added to the lake, not what is in it now.
Wisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Fish recorded near this lake
- Black Bullhead Ameiurus melas1971 to 1972; 5 records
- Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus1969 to 2001; 8 records
- Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus1965 to 2001; 21 records
- Central Mudminnow Umbra limi2001; 1 record
- Golden Shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas1969 to 2001; 2 records
- Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides1968 to 2001; 10 records
- Muskellunge Esox masquinongy1965; 1 record
- Northern Pike Esox lucius1968 to 2001; 19 records
- Pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus1970 to 2001; 13 records
- Rock Bass Ambloplites rupestris1984 to 2001; 8 records
- Walleye Sander vitreus1965 to 2001; 21 records
- White Sucker Catostomus commersonii1969 to 1987; 13 records
- Yellow Perch Perca flavescens1965 to 2001; 24 records
Recorded in open fish survey and museum records (GBIF). A record shows a fish was found near this lake in that year, not that it is there now, and says nothing about how many. Most coordinates are rounded to about 1 km, so a record is attached only when one lake is the clear match.
Open fish survey and museum records from GBIF; datasets are listed on the sources page. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
Boat landings
- 1Bearskull Lake Public AccessBoat ramp · Concrete surface · State(dnr)
Directions
Wisconsin DNR public boat access sites. Checked Oct 23, 2026.
More lakes in Iron County
- Emerson Lake0.8 miles away
- Ferry Lake1.0 miles away
- Lehto Lake1.6 miles away
- Muskie Lake2.2 miles away
- Cap Henry Lake2.3 miles away
- Goose Lake2.4 miles away
Where this comes from
- Size, depth and lake typeWisconsin DNR lake classifications, checked Oct 23, 2026
- OutlineWisconsin DNR 24K hydrography, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Stocking historyWisconsin DNR annual fish stocking summary, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Regulations linkWisconsin DNR fishing regulations (linked, not restated), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Boat landingsWisconsin DNR public boat access sites, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Water clarityWisconsin DNR water monitoring, via the Water Quality Portal, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Typical-year temperatureU.S. Geological Survey lake temperature model (modeled estimate), checked Oct 23, 2026
- Fish recordedOpen fish survey and museum records, via GBIF, checked Oct 23, 2026
- Fish consumption advice flagWisconsin DNR advisory areas (flag and link only), checked Oct 24, 2026
- VHS statusWisconsin DNR VHS status by watershed, checked Oct 24, 2026
- Depth map linkWisconsin DNR lake maps list, checked Oct 24, 2026
See data sources for what each source covers, and about for how the numbers are matched to lakes.
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